Just to warn you in case some of you are not aware... CARFAX is a bunch of crap.

here's my deal. I had a 04 NBP 5AT Non-navi and was t-boned by a truck in April 2004. Car had $19K worth of damage, and couldn't be aligned properly even after the repairs. My insurance wouldn't total it, so i got screwed a little there. Fast forward to March of 2005... I traded it in at full trade-in value (thank God) for an 05 SSM 6MT Navi and have been a happy camper since.

So about a month ago a friend of mine was in the market to buy a used car, so he buys one of those 1 month Carfax deals. I have him check my old 04 TL, just cuz i was curious about what Carfax would say about it.

CARFAX report said NOTHING. initially i laughed, cuz i didnt mention anything when i traded it in, and i know for a fact that it was sold to someone in Bellingham, WA. They did a great job fixing it, cuz it looked amazing. but that car has been thru some pain... i just feel bad for whoever bought her.

Moral to my story: For those of you who rely on Carfax to tell you the important stuff... DON'T.

 

CARFAX Vehicle History Reports™ provide information that can impact a consumer's decision about a used car or truck. A CARFAX Report may include :

Title information, including salvaged or junked titles
Flood damage history
Total loss accident history
Odometer readings
Lemon history
State emissions inspection results
Number of owners
Service records
Lien activity, and/or
Vehicle use (taxi, rental, lease, etc.)


If you read the carfax website close, it indicates they "may" be able to detect a "total loss" of a vehicle. Since yours wasn't a total loss, my guess is they are limited on exactly what information is available on the car.

Who knows, but I wonder how many people sign up for Carfax thinking it will disclose everything?

 

My Toyota Avalon had a front end collision which was repaired by My Insurance company, nothing written about it in carfax

 

I had very minor cosmetic repairs to front passenger fender and wheel replacement because of scuffing (Not caused be me)

I went to the Honda dealer a month ago, and they had it in their system. I didn't disclose it, but came back to me and mentioned the finding on CarFax.

I live in Ohio, so I'm not sure the information gather techniques for CarFax through all 50 states.

I took a $1500 hit from diminshed value.

miiipilot

 

Exactly my point. Most people get carfax reports to find out that information... they want to know if the car has been serviced regularly, or if it was in an accident, etc. if the car was totaled or flooded, the more than likely would be a salvage and the title would indicate it as such. Who cares how the car was totaled or salvaged... unless carfax says it is a theft salvage. If there is a lien on the car, they can't do a title transfer and 'sell' the car successfully at least in WA state. All monies would have to paid before ownership is transferred successfully.

The commercials suggest that carfax will tell people at the very least if the car was in a accident or least a major one. All i know is that in my accident/repair/claim process, there were no cutting corners. Everyone who was supposed to know about the accident knew about it, and it was not reported. Someone told me that its up to the body shops to report it. if that is indeed the case, and my body shop didnt report it, then im pretty sure 90% of the body shops in the country are not reporting it. Personally i thought the insurance companies somehow reported it. Not the case.

Buyer beware.

 

yup it is true car fax lied to you i have my 2004 TL auto non nav i got an accident month of july 05 its a big rear ended accident trunk like scrunched., but body works they did a good job no one can notice it., even the dealer in new york. i traded in to 2006 NBP 6spd mt w/nav. now the car is sitting on a used car show room.
we checked the car fax its said no major accident, no blah blah, no blah blah etc. well, if some one there bought that car good luck to you.

 

Same deal here...I had an A4 with a 8K accident on it....when I sold it someone showed me the carfax report and it was clean.

 

Car Fax Talk should go in Car Talk: https://acurazine.com/forums/car-talk-5/

We can't move threads across major forums so you will have to post there if you wish. Thanks